FEATURED ARTICLES ABOUT MADISON SQUARE GARDEN - PAGE 3

The last time the Virginia Tech Hokies were in the final of the National Invitational Tournament was 1973 - a year in which only three of this year's players were even born. Forwards Jim and David Jackson were a few months old when the Hokies captured the championship, having been born Jan. 2 of that year. Forward Shawn Smith was born later that year - on Sept. 17. The rest of the Hokies were born from 1974-76. LOOK AT THE NUMBERS. With all the talk in New York City centered on Michael Jordan and his return trip to Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night, the Hokies couldn't help but compare their No. 23 to the Bulls' former No. 23. Tech guard Damon Watlington , who wears the lucky jersey, registered 20 points in Tech's 71-59 victory against Canisius College in the semifinals Monday.

Moody's top-seeded Young Guns were unshakable in the Isle of Wight Rec Men's Adult Softball Tournament last week. They lost their first showdown against second-seeded Council Sales and Service, 11-9 on Wednesday, but bounced back to beat them twice Thursday to successfully defend their tournament title. Before their rematch with Council Sales, the Young Guns heated up with a 24-1 demolition of the fourth-seeded Pirates in the losers' bracket final. Earl Edwards powered a long-ball attack with two home runs and five RBIs.

Rule No. 1 when organizing an AAU invitational all-star basketball tournament: Schedule for success. By coincidence or not, Boo Williams has done just that. His 17-and-under boys' team got a breather to open his own Boo Williams/Holiday Inn Invitational on Friday. Because of a last-minute no-show by one of the scheduled teams, Boo's boys got what amounted to a scrimmage against another one of his summer league squads at Hampton University's Holland Hall. Meanwhile, some of the best teams in the tournament wound up beating up on each other in their own designated pool play.

Blaine Taylor rarely encounters a topic that he can't turn into an after-dinner speech at the local Rotary, particularly when it pertains to his Old Dominion basketball team. On a busy Friday morning, however, the point leader of the Monarchs' postseason cattle drive to New York took the concise route. "As I say all the time: It's good stuff," Taylor said. Indeed, the Monarchs' spot in next week's National Invitation Tournament final four at Madison Square Garden is a prime example of making lemonade out of a sour quarterfinal exit in the Colonial Athletic Association tournament.

We'll hear plenty in the next three weeks about all of the college hoops teams still playing, so here are a few words about one that isn't. After the NCAA and NIT selection committees announced their fields Sunday night, VMI officially stowed the balls and uniforms following one of the remarkable seasons in the history of the program. The Keydets, specifically seniors Travis and Chavis Holmes and Willie Bell, chose to let their 24-8 season stand on its own merit. "I think we exceeded expectations," head coach Duggar Baucom said.

NEW YORK - Madison Square Garden hasn't hosted an NCAA tournament game of Sweet 16 magnitude since 1955, but if any team is prepared for this moment on this stage, it's Michigan State. The world's most famous arena? Friday's regional semifinal against No. 1 seed Virginia? Final Four expectations? None of the trappings should faze Tom Izzo's players. They're too old, well-traveled and accustomed to success. Intangible edge? Immaterial narrative? We're about to find out, because there's no questioning that the Cavaliers, in their first Sweet 16 since 1995, can not match the Spartans' seasoning.

Maggie McNamara is budgeting her time very carefully. A graduate student at University of Virginia, studying civil engineering with a focus on transportation, she is trying to finish her master's thesis on a modeling environment to test the safety benefits of new technology in cars in relation to infrastructure improvements in modern roadways. And, oh yes, she is trying to get it done while traveling around the country with the band that plays in support of the U.Va. men's basketball team, which continues its March Madness run Friday in New York as the top seed in the NCAA tournament's East Region.

The Daily press looks back at: From Feb. 10, 1967. The first William and Mary Invitational is scheduled to get under way at noon Saturday at Cary Field with the University of Virginia, the University of Richmond and Old Dominion College joining the hosts in the four-team field. In addition, six William and Mary representatives are scheduled to compete in the United States Track and Field Federation Championships at New York's Madison Square Garden Saturday afternoon and night.

NEW ADDITION TO GROUP NEW YORK - The Grateful Dead, searching for a replacement after keyboardist Brent Mydland's fatal drug overdose, has turned to an old and well-known friend: singer-songwriter Bruce Hornsby. Hornsby, in a statement released Thursday through his record company, said he would play keyboards for a few upcoming Dead concerts. Included is the band's stand at Madison Square Garden, Sept. 15-20. Hornsby "has responded affirmatively to a request from his longtime friends to help them through this difficult period," said the statement from RCA i Records.

A local dog was among the top canines in her breed at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. Renice Zimmerman, of Yorktown, is part owner of Ch Von Hoffman's Antsy Prance, a rottweiler also known as LeeLoo. LeeLoo won the category Best of Opposite Sex in Tuesday morning's rottweiler judging. The Best of Opposite Sex category is awarded to the best dog that is the opposite sex of the Best of Breed winner. The show was held at Madison Square Garden in New York. — Daily Press